


Live or Die

by Thedreaminus



Category: Noblesse (Manhwa)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-08
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2018-10-16 09:23:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10568388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thedreaminus/pseuds/Thedreaminus
Summary: He stared at the metal bars without actually seeing them. The constant sound of water drops reverberated in his ears.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Noblesse. The Story in the Characters belong to Son Je Ho and Lee Gwang Su.

All the king's horses  
and  
all the king's men

Couldn't put me back together again

…

* * *

He stared at the metal bars without actually seeing them. The constant sound of water drops reverberated in his ears. Occasionally he could hear the screams of other experiments as they threw themselves at the bars, and beat their heads against the wall. Their shrieks had been devoid of humanity for a long time now.

M-21 was the only one of his comrades who had kept his mind after all these years. For this he enjoyed special fucking attention of these bastards. He gnashed his teeth and tightened his hold on the chains that held his arms above his head.

They wanted to force him to obey. "If you obey the command, you may sit down. If you obey the command you will get something to drink. If you obey the order..." dirty scumbags! As if that will ever happen. What did he have to gain out of this anyway? Nothing. When his comrades were still alive, and not turned into rabid beasts before his eyes, he had obeyed. To survive and to protect them. Now...? Hell would freeze over before he let these monsters have the slightest tingle of satisfaction! Whether or not they tortured him.

Without his comrades, his life meant nothing to him. Death, when it comes, would be a liberation and a better fate than what has become of him and would further become of him if _that_ bastard returned. He bore the blame for what had happened to his comrades. For what happened to him.

M-21 put his head back to try and relieve some stress off his shoulders, which felt like they were pierced through with hot bars. How long did they want to let him hang this time?

Hissing, he puffed out his breath and watched the steam cloud disappear in the freezing cell with half-lidded eyes, and remembered…

~.~.~

"Is that them?" asked an aloof, cold voice. M-21 lifted his head, and gently slipped at M-24s side who sat facing the entrance of the cell. There stood Dr. Crombel with some hooded figures, most of whom wore long white cloaks. The man next to Crombel, who caught M21s attention foremost, however wore fur-lined coat. He was bigger than Combel, his face a rigid mask from where his eyes glowed brightly. M-21 could feel the hair at the back of his neck rise up in alarm.

His comrades and he had been brought to this outdated Union laboratory not long ago. All the people they encountered here seemed to be modified. No, they were not even human ... And now these hooded bodies in front of their cell gave M-21 the same impression.

"As I promised you Elder. Eight people. They are all experiment material with which I can not do anything else at the moment. They are somewhat more robust than normal people and should be useful for your purpose," said Crombel with false friendliness

M-21 could see the greed in his eyes. Whatever has been planned to be done with them, Crombel was eager to see it. His fear grew.

"Of course" a satisfied smile spread over the mouth of the unknown as he looked at them. "Close the door, Doctor," he said to the person behind him "Try not to kill them immediately. That would be tedious. "

M-21s heart raced. He stood up slowly, and tried to put himself in front of M-24. Perhaps these people were enhanced individuals who wanted to test their powers? In such cases it was always better not to fight too hard. But there was something with these people that made him uneasy and raised within him an urge to protect his comrades. A handful of individuals came towards them.

Then everything happened very quickly. He didn't even get the time to study their faces, many of them were already in front of his comrades and him. One of them threw him with face first into the wall, and pushed his cheek against the cold stone. M-21 felt sharp pain before he was released, just as quickly as he was caught.

Dazed by the force of the impact, he sank to the ground, and pressed his hand against his neck. Blood trickled between his fingers. One bite, one has bitten him. What could this be? He knew that M-24 could bite people to infect them but ...

His head whipped to one side as he heard a strangled cry. M-75 writhed back and forth on the ground. Next to him M-44 wildly scratched his bloody arm. What was going on? Where was M-24? and the rest of his comrades? He wanted to turn around, but his body no longer listened to him. M-21 found himself on the floor and screamed...

~.~.~

He did not know how long he and his comrades lied there. Sometime later, a few scientists came to collect them and put them in separate cells. This was the last time that M-21 saw his comrades.

Left alone in his cell, he had screamed, and scratched his neck until finally his hands were tied behind his back and his mouth stuffed with gag till his throat. Every part of him burned, his veins seemed to be injected with acid, and his heart was bursting. The only reprieve was the unconsciousness that caught him at regular intervals and saved him for a while from reality. M21 drifted in and out of awareness, too weak to even scream eventually and instead listened to his comrades choked voices. And to the hooded beings eager speculations. These bastards had wagered which of them would survive.

Eventually the time came when he had woken up and there was no sound to be heard. Silence. His whole body ached, his head felt as if it had been banged against the wall over and again, he could not think properly. But worst was his heart that stuck out like a piece of glowing iron making every single beat apparent. M-21 lied motionless on the cell floor and stared at the wall, just like now, unable to do anything but wait until the pain subsided.

Through the scientists who regularly examined him, he found out the fate of his comrades. Those who survived had become insane, uncontrollable like wild beasts they attacked everything. Even their own comrades. They seemed to have no feelings left, felt no more pain.

But he had not only survived, he had kept his mind! And he had grown stronger! To the scientist who provided him this information so enticingly, M-21 gave a taste of this precious fucking power by tearing out his throat with his teeth.

Elder monkey was delighted at this and laughed until M-21 spat the blood on his face and told him to piss off. This was the beginning of his torture.

Again he heard a wild scream ringing through the underground corridors. Who was it this time? Tired, M-21 closed his eyes.

Combel and Elder came to see him at regular intervals, watching him carefully, and ordering new tests each time. They were waiting for something. Every time M-21 saw them, an unfriendly remark slipped out. Combel the asshole took it with smile, but the Elder monkey had too brittle an ego, so M21 has already insulted him pretty much with everything and got the blows for it.

His regeneration and reflexes increased. His senses grew sharp to the point where M-21 could smell these crap pits. They had also tested that he could survive without food and water for much longer than a regular modified human.

But there was something they had no idea about. It was this thing in his head, as if something was taken from him, turned into a beast and stuffed back into his mind. This animal, this wolf had been the one to make him pull the scientist's throat out...

Whenever Combel came with the Elder, the thing in his head raced senselessly. It kept a constant contact with him and his thoughts, it was like himself and yet different, and became more like him every day, or did he become more like the wolf? It became difficult for him to determine what action and which sentence came from him and what from the wolf.

In the end, M-21 held no illusions. Sooner or later this thing would have enough of him and devour him completely. He knew the Union enough to guess what would happen next. They would transport him to another laboratory? Erase his memory again and continue to torture him till he was nothing more than an empty shell? Or will he become mad like his comrades did, after completely merging with the wolf?

Strangely, M-21 found the later thought consoling. At first the wolf had seemed like threat, but in truth it has protected him somehow and has held him up, shared his suffering and waited for a better future with him… but he had not been able to escape, he had not even been able to take his own life.

His own despair nearly stifled him. He twitched, the wolf scratching his head as if to free itself, and M-21 took a deep breath and shouted. The other voices that raged and shrieked with him were silent now. He howled till his voice gave out. Then came the stillness where only the dripping of the water was heard. M-21 let his head sink to his chest like a beat up rag doll and half-dozed again.

Waiting. 

He could only wait.


	2. Chapter 2

_I knock the ice from my bones_

_Try not to feel the cold_

_Caught in the thought of that time_  
_…_

 

* * *

"What are you doing?"

Hm? M-21 opened his eyes, there were voices. How long had he slept? Was the monkey finally back?

"You're too wide, why did you have to come along?" a female voice hissed irritably.

"These are muscles!" replied a man indignantly.

M-21 blinked and turned his head. He had not heard these voices before. They were not scientists, nor were they those ever quiet hooded figures. Besides, they sounded strangely hushed as if unwilling to let themselves be exposed.

"That's enough now. Be silent," another male voice hushed them.

M-21 raised his eyebrows. The voices came from outside his cell… but at the same time they came from his cell…? He strained his ears further, and a few more dull steps were heard, knocking, and scratching. Could it really be that someone was in the ventilation shafts?

A particularly loud bang confirmed his guess.

 _Up, Ventilation Shafts._ The wolf suddenly stirred in his thoughts, and pushed forward with momentum enough to make his head spin.

_Tension,_

_Expectation,_

_Enthusiasm_

It howled with unprecedented passion. Then retreated as fast as it came. M-21 shook his head and blinked violently. What was that?

His new animal counterpart usually warned him when someone came. Now it lay curled up in the back of his thoughts, his ears pointedly expectant. Whoever squeezed through the ventilation shafts sure had an unusual effect on this other self. Or, M-21 thought after a few minutes cynically, maybe it was trying to make fun of them through its erratic behavior because they were running in circles?

"If we are stuck here any longer, I swear I'll tear this thing!" Hissed a masculine voice over his head. They were right over him again.

Please do it, thought M-21. That would speed up the whole affair.

"And do you know what is below us? We could land at lord knows what or crush someone!" Someone shot back.

M-21 looked up at the ceiling and pursed his lips. Right … Please do not.

Fortunately the ceiling didn't come crashing down, but they did not find the exit either. M-21 played with the idea to help them, there were not many possibilities on how the shafts ran, but then decided against it and waited. There was still time before the scientists were back. These people will somehow find their way down  by then, and he did not know who they were anyway. Besides, his tired mind found it fun to listen to their annoyed mutterings.

A loud clanking in the hallway announced that they had found the exit. M-21 saw the grating that blocked the entrance on the ground. Immediately afterwards some people landed directly in front of his cell.

M-21 tensed. They all wore long white robes. It was those bastards! Or? M-21 lowered his head and studied the group from half-opened eyes. He did not move so they did not immediately notice him. The robes were same but they looked different… more normal. They did not give him that disgusting feeling of something unnatural. And why would they enter the ventilation shafts? Unless, they blew a fuse.

M-21 continued to watch as some others came out of the shaft and swiftly scattered everywhere. The ones who landed first seemed to be the leaders, they spoke in whispers and had gestured the others, sending them in every direction. When these groups came back, there were quiet whispers again. M-21 did not need to listen to understand just how many corridors, doors and people they had viewed.

This was a burglary. But not really that efficient. On the other hand, either the technical stuff has been taken care of or this Union laboratory was down due to which the alarm system had not reacted. Sensing how crude their entry through the ventilator was, M-21 suspected the latter. Perhaps that was the chance he had been waiting for a long time? But he would wait just a bit more and found why these people were here first.

"There is no one here," one of the men whispered, clearly disappointed.

Woah! He just earned a reward! M-21 snapped in his mind, unimpressed. The wolf was also amused, letting the tongue hang out and huffing merrily. _Be quiet, wait for the right moment and then hit…_ M-21 muscles vibrated in anticipation, he almost forgot that he was chained.

"Have you seen the cells in the back aisle? Loud mutants can be heard, it must be the right place. They must be here."

They? So this group was looking for someone? M-21 mused.

"On the surface everything is in motion. It looks more like they gave up this lab. I do not know if we can find anything here…"

These people were of the same kind as that monkey and the rest of the bastards. But they behaved differently, they were different … They were searching for someone who was captured by the Union to save them. In M-21 a bitter feeling arose, an insecurity. No one searched for his comrades and him when they had been brought here…

M-21 swallowed this unwelcome thought, and made his decision. If the lab was really abandoned, then he could imagine what was to happen to him. This was probably his last chance to help his comrades and cleanse the Union. He opened his eyes, all or nothing. He could not lose.

Clearing his throat to test out his voice, he held his head high and looked straight at the cloaked individuals. Thereupon, he saw a handful of people in the hallway performing something like small hops in the name of searching the ceiling. Instead of saying something, M-21 burst out laughing. That was too funny.

"What the…"

"I thought he was dead."

M-21 bared his teeth still quietly giggling to himself. "That looked funny. Can you do it again?"

A few hissed and gave him furious glances, some of them said nothing, but almost everyone seemed surprised.

M-21 sighed and tried to relax his shoulders, which had painfully protested the sudden movement. "It's been quite a long time since I laughed so much," he murmured softly, gazing at the strangers. None of them moved. M-21 pulled up an eyebrow. "What's wrong? Did you see a ghost?"

That shook them awake. One of them pulled his hood back and stepped in front of the bars. He was tall and broad-shouldered with brown hair and eyes. Looking at his bulk, M-21 suspected that he was the fellow who had gotten stuck in the ventilators. He involuntarily reminded M-21 of M-24.

"You understand us?"

M-21 gave him a flat look. "What does it look like?"

"Are you human?"

M21 snorted, "No, just a broken toy," bitterness laced every word.

The other looked at him strangely, and M-21 breathed deeply, regaining control of himself. The question had hit an unpleasant nerve, throwing it out of concept.

"This is a waste of time," a woman muttered behind the larger man. "Leave him Kentas, we have something to do here."

"True," M-21 looked at the man named Kenta, "You're probably looking for someone here …" he threw the bone and became silent. The broad guy had to be pissed because he bent the bars and marched into the cell.

"Eh, you know there is a door or?" He managed to ask casually before the guy grabbed him by the neck, making him hiss in pain. _Eep this guy really was pissed off_. His other hand looped around to grab his hair and jerked his face up. "Where are they?" He growled.

The wolf barked in his head in response and M-21 had to push it back with all his might. For a moment, his senses disappeared.

"Hey, I asked you something!" The pressure on his throat increased.

"I heard it, asshole," he grunted out and was released. M-21 shook his head slightly. "But I was distracted by your sudden affection!"

The hand of his opponent was twitching unhealthily. He looked as if he was going to grab him again, or do something else.

"You do it Lunark, before I forget myself." He said, his voice was not much more than a growl.

M-21 threw a flat glance at the woman who was now entering through the hole in the bars. It was the same person that had spoken to Kentas before. She seemed to have almost the same hair color as M-21. But in the light, it was hard to determine.

"We're not here to play, tell us what you know." She spoke quietly and calmly, but the impression of having a sharp weapon on her did not diminish.

"I do _not_ know where they are or who you are looking for here" he gave Kentas a poisonous look. "But I know where they could be."

A murmur was heard from outside at his answer. M-21 noticed that a guard was set up by the others figures.

"You want something for it, right?" The woman asked him contemptuously.

"Not even death is free," replied M-21 coolly.

Lunark casted a discreet glance backwards. M-21 followed her gaze. Only then did he notice the man; long gray-hair, tall but not as much as Kentas and an aura of authority, who leaned against the wall staring at him bemused. As soon as their eyes met, the wolf howled within him, ears all perked up. M-21 laboriously suppressed a similar sound himself. Fuck … what had that been? But the wolf gave no answer, instead whining. M-21 shook his head and tried to get rid of the strangely oppressive feeling. This was not the best time for such games.

The gray-haired man outside the cell waved his nonchalant approval to Lunark without letting his sight of off M-21. Lunark nodded lightly and devoted herself to M-21s interrogation again. "What do you want?"

M-21 breathed deeply. He had to do this, it was the only way he could help his comrades.

"You know where the infected ones are?"

"Yes" Lunark narrowed her eyes "But we will not free them."

"I want you to kill them all."

No one said anything. Kentas and Lunark exchanged a glace. "You want what?" Kentas wanted to know again.

"You're supposed to kill them," repeated M-21 with a bitter taste of his lips. He felt as if he was betraying his comrades, but he knew there was no better alternative for them than a quick painless death at this point.

M-21 saw the gray-haired man give Lunark his consent with a brief gesture of his hand. He signaled some of the group to himself too, giving them soft instructions. M-21 closed his eyes with a miserable feeling in his chest. They've been dead for a long time, he had to remind himself. _They have been dead for a long, long time_. He kept chanting. The wolf did not react; it was unconcerned with his comrades fate just like everyone else had been. M-21 felt sick with himself.

"Oi" someone shook him.

"I've heard you, asshole" hissed M-21 irritably. This nickname did not really appeal to the guy, he cracked his knuckles dangerously but M-21 ignored him. Instead, he turned his head to the left.

"On the left, there are a few broken cells …" he began. "In one of these, the ground separates the second floor from the third, the scientists use it as landfill. As far as I know, most of the corridors there are impenetrable, but if you're lucky you'll get through."

"And where does that bring us?" Lunark wanted to know.

"The third level is an exclusive area" M-21 grinned cynically "The torture chamber. That rotten monkey only brings the people he wants to see particularly suffer there."

"What monkey?"

"Oh, I'm sure you know him … Stupid hairstyle, haughty appearance …" M-21 almost rolled his eyes as he noticed the irritated looks. "He's one of you, and is always accompanied by a bulk of muted dummies."

"Maduke?" Echoed Lunark "The 2nd Elder?" She choked. A few of the people growled at the mention of the name. A sharp sound from the gray-haired man outside silenced them.

"I don't know his name, but Crombel calls him Elder."

"Crombel?"

"A scientist of the Union"

"Why did Maduke come here?"

"No idea. We do not understand each other so well. One of the reasons why I know the third level so well" M-21 chortled "Shouldn't  you be on your way there?"

And they did. Kentas, Lunark, and the gray-haired ones stayed behind. M-21 ignored her and looked at the ground. Those who had killed his comrades on his condition were already back before a group was made to investigate the location M-21 had told them about.

So he was the last survivor of the M series. As soon as these people would come back from the third floor, they would kill him. He had known from the beginning that it would happen. But the wolf turned in his head like a wounded animal and growled wildly. It was angry.

Be quiet, M-21 tried to silence his other self. He did not know who these people were, he could not trust that they would not just drop him where the scientists were. Even if they let him run, where would he go? But the wolf did not calm down. It was a survival artist, a fighter who could defied all natural forces. That M-21 was looking so calmly at his death after he had so strongly rebelled against Crombel and the Elder, brought it up.

They hit him on the cheek. M-21, who was immersed in an inner struggle with the wolf reacted violently to the sudden attack. With a wild growl he snapped at the attacker. Only the hand on his throat held the person out of his teeth's reach. Gray eyes watched him intently as he tried to get a grip on himself. The wolf that was so angry a while ago had tamed at the sight of this person. And M-21 took a shuddering breath, relieved. Though he did not know if it was right to be happy about this. His skin felt hot and tense, his fingers itching. For some reason he felt exhausted now.

"Did Maduke really made it?" asked Lunark, bewildered.

What? M-21 wondered. Did she meant him?

"No" the man who still held his M-21 by his neck, shook his head. "A friend has assured me that Maduke's project is insane. We cannot enter into contracts with human as the Nobles do. No matter how much that scum Madukes can change, we can create nothing but uncontrollable mutants. There must be something with him that this worked"

The grip around his neck tightened until M-21 had trouble breathing.  The wolf in his head roared in protest.

"Do you want to Live or Die?" demanded the gray-haired man of him.

"What?" croaked M-21, confused.

"I will not take you with me, unless I am sure that you will not kill yourself."

"Lord …" The other two seemed surprised. "You do not mean to take him with us?"

"Had you two used your brain you wouldn't be asking me this, I thought I made myself clear here?" There was a dangerous undertone in his growl that closed all room for protest.

Silence. M-21 closed his eyes. Did he want to live? The fear of simply ending in another lab, and the death of his comrades had kept him from wishing for it. But the wolf pushed forward again, encouraging him. He did not want to be let down by what Crombel and Maduke had done to him.

_Live or Die?_

M-21 opened his eyes and looked at the man in front of him. He searched for something in his eyes and the person returned the stare unwaveringly, passing the test. The wolf muttered contentedly. M-21 had made his decided.

He wanted to claim back his right to life.

He wanted to live.

**THE END**

* * *

**Bonus:**

The man smiled contentedly and let go of his throat. With quick movements he slashed the chains binding M21. Bad move, M-21 thought. He was tired and did not know if his legs would carry him. But the gray-haired man did not let him fall to the floor, instead he looped an arm around his middle, supporting his figure against his chest.

M-21 gasped. His arms had protested the sudden movement. Besides, he could not remember when he'd last been so close to a living being without feeling pain. Warmth radiated from the other body and the wolf whined content in his head. M-21s sight blurred. He had to swallow several times to get rid of the sudden lump in his throat.

The man did not shrink back in disgust, nor did he laugh. He simply waited motionless until M-21 had calmed down and was stable enough to stand on his own feet.

"You take care of him Kentas, I have the feeling that you two will get along well."

"…" Kentas did not seem to have this impression, but he did not raise any objection.

"Is this the moment I get flowers?" croaked M-21 quietly.

"…"

* * *

 

Fanart by [kyogre-blue](http://kyogre-blue.tumblr.com/post/158378746460/by-request-of-pandora-twists-bonus-scene-from)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes Muzuka pretty much hugged him. And he's totally going to coddle the newly found puppy from here on. He's safe now…mostly ^^ We both weren't the happiest with this chapter. We felt that maybe Rai and Frankenstein were better choices to rescue him and if it were them, they'd be a lot more sweet and kinder to him, and M21 wouldn't have been able to control his emotions at end and who doesn't want fluff, so here's the behind the scene discussion of a probabale alternative ED: 
> 
> @pandora-twists: I want M21 blubbering into Rai super clean shirt. Frankenstein eye twitching at that  
> @thedreaminus: Pfff… It is a kid…easy it is a kid Frankenstein to himself
> 
> PS: If someone really wants his heart bleeds when you reads "Live or Die", then I recommend to listen to Karmina - All The King's Horses. To this song the story was written.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have taken a long time for this and I hope it is so good like the other chapters. This chapter is part of the NoblesseSummerEvent #16_Disillusioned (on tumblr). Like the previous chapter it also have a song how inspired me ( Wear It Like A Crown - Rebekka Karijord).

I don't know where this fear comes from,

  
How I became so afraid of losing everyone

  
...

 

* * *

 

 

The wolf was excited, excited in the sense of being curious. M-21 focused with closed eyes on the behavior of its animal counterpart, who analyzed all the odors and sounds around him, the bitter, spicy, sweet odors of plants whose name he did not know, the sound of flowing water nearby, the need to lean his back against the tree and feel the strange rough surface.

How long was it that he was outside? That he could feel the wind? He could not even remember. M-21 took another deep breath, and suppressed a shudder. The wolf in his head shrieked with longing, wanting to jump, race, explore everything. M-21 wanted to obey this drive and disappear between the many trees that were close by. However, there was a problem, several actually...

The guy named Kentas was already standing by his side for a while, throwing a look at him every now and then as if he wanted to make sure that M-21 was still there. In any other situation, M-21 would have done well, but not now. At the moment, he lacked both the physical and mental strength for an escape attempt. Two obstacles he could not hope to overcome.

So he was rather content to watch the strange bunch before him, whose favorite occupation seemed to be seriously and silently standing around, of course, with high-heeled hoods. A few were concerned about a second group, the prisoners. Or so M-21 suspected, for besides the torn clothes and tired faces, nothing indicated that they had been tortured. His own body was still black and blue, sore from the last torture. These people had to have excellent regeneration.

M-21 shifted his weight to relieve his leg. Kentas immediately responded to this minimal movement. He looked at him, and _sniffed_. M-21 was not quite sure what Kentas hoped to smell, but took it as an indication the sharp sense was another characteristic of these people. Anyway, he was almost grateful for Kentas role as a _guard dog_. The guy was so wide that he almost shielded M-21 from the eyes of the others. This gave him the opportunity to look at everything calmly without being stared at like an exotic creature. The events of the past few hours were so confusing and varied that M-21 seemed to be in a dream, so unreal were all the new impressions.

He did not know what he expected when one of the scouts had reported the gray-haired man, titled with great reverence as ‘Lord Muzaka’, that they had found the prisoners and had brought them to the surface. But a good-humored, "well then, make the ground all the same" made M-21 understand even less. The scout, however, had only grinned wildly and was off through the next _wall_. M-21 had seriously considered asking Kentas if they knew what a _door_ was and what it was _used_ for. And then they had just climbed up the ventilator hole, through the corridors, out of the lab.

M-21 had only once looked back. The lab had burnt, the lower floors were probably already collapsed at this time. He had locked this image firmly in his heart. With the destruction of the lab, another memory of his comrades was irrevocably extinguished. Only the mark on his wrist remained a clear proof of their existence and his own memories the proof of the time they were still _human_. In the distance he could still see the smoke rising into the sky.

By pure reflex, he clasped his bruised wrist and felt the tattoo he so abhorred and at the same time could not let go. In his mind, the wolf rose again, quite inconspicuously without striving for control. It was just there and enjoyed the quiet peace that the night gave to the world. M-21 tried asking his opponent questions, but the wolf did not answer questions. It simply existed, its concentration laid in the present. It felt the agony that M-21 passed through and wanted to give him peace.

For the wolf there was no right or wrong, no good, no evil. Life was a pattern, just like death, something that existed with all its beauty, ugliness, grief, despair, joy, and hope, and he was a part of it. The wolf’s presence faded and left M-21 with his questions, but in peace with himself.

Just then, the woman who had spoken to him in the cell approached them. Lunark had been her name. Kentas greeted her with a tilt of his head. "How are they?" He nodded to the former prisoners.

"Outwardly, all wounds have healed. However, they are apathetic, complaining about pain, can not concentrate and are easily irritable," Lunark’s voice showed her helplessness.  
  
"Where is the Lord?"  
  
"I don’t know, he just told us to wait here"

M-21 grunted to himself as he heard this. Apathetic and easily irritable? There was only one thing that matched with the description in this situation. Not to believe that this whole group had no idea, and he had already wondered why they opened the camp only a few steps from the lab. But the prisoners seemed to be in a bad shape. The thought of the symptoms made him uneasy because they reminded him of something.  
  
"Drugs" Lunark and Kentas both looked at him in surprise, "They suffer from the aftermath, is not it?"

"Yes," Lunark replied coolly, but objectively "The last dose was administered a while ago."  
  
"… And you came here without being prepared?" M-21 concluded slowly from the situation. Lunark's silence gave him the answer. He rolled his eyes, clear enough so that Lunark can see. "Pretty stupid, right?"  
  
"The effects should dissipate soon" Lunark's voice now sounded annoyed.

M-21 forced himself to restrain his temper. "They are addicted _, dependent_ on those drugs. Do you have any idea for how long and how strong would be the doses given to them by those damn scientists? Cutting them off abruptly would _not_ **develop** resistance, their bodies _need_ the fresh dose to survive.” Lunark and Kentas looked shocked.

M-21 nodded sharply to the smoke in the distance, “All that effort you guys put to make ruins and ashes of the lab without even bothering to check what those bastards did with the prisoners. I would advise you to watch them, because it will get worse."

"Worse?" Kentas dig deeper. Lunark, on the other hand, did not seem to be able to decide exactly how to respond to his words.  
  
Oh? So they had no idea? M-21 shrugged "I do not know how long you've been looking for them, or what they've been given" M-21 looked at the former prisoners again "I can only guess that it's only the beginning. I would advise you to guard them individually and to hold them if necessary.”

“Hold?”

"So they do not hurt themselves, or attack others" M-21 leaned his head back against the tree trunk "They could have everything, pain, delusions, fever, muscle cramps, breathing constrain..." He counted slowly until Lunark interrupted him with a soft hiss. She turned away and joined some of the others. M-21 could hear her talking to them hastily.

M-21 watched from half-open eyes. The fact that he was right with his prediction did not really appeal him. The former prisoners probably had really strong drugs. Their withdrawal symptoms became increasingly severe. He also felt how uneasy his own muscles twitched and how hot his skin became.

Shit ... M-21 gritted his teeth together. He had experiences with withdrawal episodes himself, especially that time. Immediately after he had ripped a scientist’s throat out, none of the others had dared approached him. Until he, paralyzed by the withdrawal symptoms and pain, threatened to die. M-21 knew that it was going to get worse this time and he knew that he wanted to be alone when it started. Kentas was distracted anyway and M-21 used his opportunity to retire.

Not far away he found a flat cowle in a narrowed back. The ground was sandy. Led by instinct, M-21 crawled to the end of the cowle, which was only twice as wide as himself. By then, he was feverish, and the uncontrolled twitching of his muscles had intensified. M-21 laid down on the ground, the cold rock a welcome cool to his heated body. The wolf in him was silent.

To his chagrin, Kentas had earlier noticed that he had sneaked away and was not amused.

"What are you doing here?" snarled the bullish man. M-21 looked at him irritably, clasping his arm tightly to keep the uncontrolled twitch at least partially in check.  
  
"What does it look like?" He hissed back.  
  
Kentas blinked, and looked at him closer. "You too?"

M-21 saved his reply and rolled over, staring fixedly at the rock face in front of him. He was used to pain, but a withdrawal was something quite different, as if something vital was missing. His body demanded something that he could not give to it and the thought of somehow giving his body what it needs pounded wildly in the head. Another fetter the Union had laid upon him. M-21 twisted as his stomach cramped as if someone was digging in with a knife.

Kentas stayed close to him or so M-21 thought, but he was not sure. The withdrawal symptoms grew increasingly violent, he lost touch with his surroundings, and did not know if someone was with him or not. Every now and then, there was an awkward moment where he would notice Kentas sitting next to him and holding him tightly. Other times the man was not there. But he could just be imagining things.

M-21 trembled, the heat was gone, now he was cold. His body ached but at the moment it had gained a resting phase where it was tolerable. Worse, however, was the thirst that had tormented him for quite some time. He licked his dry lips and looked up to see whether Kentas was still next to him, or whether he had become tired of watching him roll on the ground, trying to not scream in pain.

Kentas was not standing next to him, but there was someone, someone M-21 had never seen before. This was a man, blond and in black clothes. One of Muzaka's people? M-21 blinked heavily, his vision blurry, but something held his conscious. The wolf was there again, growling, its presence much stronger than it had been in the last few hours … Why?

"Very interesting," said the stranger in a quiet, expert voice, a strange smile on his lips "What do we have here?"  
  
M-21 froze, the wolf whined in his head and now he knew why. He knew a tone like this and when the man came closer, he could also perceive a sharp, biting smell from him, which was just as familiar. That was a scientist ... M-21 bared his teeth and growled in unison with the wolf. At the same time, he tried to crawl backwards as far as possible.

The man stopped, his eyes shining with pure curiosity as he knelt down and be at the same height as M-21. M-21 trembled, and this time neither cold nor pain was the cause. It was fear. There was a damn scientist before him. He bit his lip so hard that blood flowed over his chin. The bitter premonition that he was betrayed surrounded his heart like a fist.

Muzaka and his people had sold him. What else? Why had he hoped to be free for a moment? He stood up, though his arms and legs were trembling. He _never_ wanted to be a scientist's guinea pig again. M-21 growled louder, his heart beat erratically against his chest. Either he would die or the scientist, no other conception dominated his thinking. He just wanted to get _away_ , no matter how.

The man said something and stood up too. But blood flowed through his ears and he could not understand him. Then the scientist took another step towards him and M-21 attacked. The man deftly dodged, making M-21 stagger and barely stop himself from meeting the opposing wall head on. His breath hitched, but his feverish spirit hardly noticed it as he turned for another attack. A casual, but powerful flick of the other man’s hand thwarted this second attempt too.

M-21’s back slammed against the wall, and he slipped to his knees. He could feel his sick body giving up on him, the wolf roaring in his head and he had to support himself with one hand in order to not sprawl on the ground. Why now? Why did his body not want to participate? If it was only a little earlier maybe... he waited patiently until the stranger came before him and stooped down to him again. A trembling fist closed on the sandy ground, then out it went towards the scientist’s face. The man raised his arm to avoid the handful of sand thrown into his eyes, but not fast enough. Cursing something about his suit, he backed away and M-21 jumped up, rushing past him to the exit ... only there stood another person.

M-21 did not recognize this person, he hardly recognized anything from his surroundings. Everything was blurry and spinning. His arm raised hesitantly, should he attack? Or try to sneak past? Just before he was about to attack, harsh fingers closed around his wrist and yanked him back.

"That's enough" This time, the scientist twisted his arm on his back and forced him to his knees, his voice sounded ice-cold and annoyed. "Chill out"  
  
No! M-21 wanted to scream. He turned to free himself. His other hand waving wildly to claw the scientist’s face out. Everything in him wanted to get rid of this bastard before something happened, before he was no longer able to escape!  
  
_"Calm down"_

The words flowed into his head with incredible power. M-21 gasped and turned his attention to the front. The second unknown had come upon him, and was reaching out for him. M-21 pressed his eyes together and shook his head to drive the hold on his mind. He ... He had to ... He ... His body simply sat, like a marionette with its threads cut. A whimpering came from his throat as he desperately tried to get up again.

"Sleep"

-.-.-.-.-

The blond caught the falling experiment and carefully placed him down. The boy breathed flatly and hastily and his heart ... his heart. Curiously, he put a hand on his chest and felt the strong blow of the organ.

"Frankenstein" came a chiding voice in front of him. The man named Frankenstein twitched noticeably and raised his head. Two dazzling red eyes stared at him disapprovingly.  
  
"..."

"Master. He attacked me first" Frankenstein tried to defend himself from his master. Cadis Etrama Di Raizel sighed. As usual, his servant was a little too wayward. A hard thud, as if something heavy hit on a rock, announced Muzaka's visit. The werewolf stood casually beside Raizel, and greeted the two of them with a tilt of his head.

"And?"  
  
"And what Muzaka? This ..." Frankenstein paused briefly in his choice of words " _He_ is not one of your people, is he?"  
  
The werewolf shook his head, his face showed a restless expression. “We found him in the laboratory. He was bitten."

Frankenstein raised a skeptic eyebrow, as if discerning the authenticity of his words.  
  
"Well, what is he then?" Muzaka nodded to the unconscious human on the ground. The boy groaned as if to command, shuddering.

"First and foremost in danger," said Frankenstein in a surly tone and lifted the body. "Just like your remaining people. We should provide for him quickly if you want him to survive. And that _is_ what you want or?" he pushed past the werewolf to the outside "I would be more interested in why you let him live."

Muzaka shrugged, a neutral expression on his face. Beside him, Raizel scarcely drew his eyes, resting his gaze on human in Frankenstein's arms.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the penultimate chapter to the Live or Die series. I wish you a lot of fun while reading and hope you like it.

_Cause if I don ’t follow my heart this time_ _  
_

_I ’m gonna forget what this life is all about_ _  
_

_..._

* * *

 

Where was he? Where had they brought him? Someone touched him and he flailed wildly until two strong arms pinned him. The familiar sting of a needle and the feeling of cold liquid in his veins. Then darkness, a very long darkness. Occasionally voices came to him and he saw distorted figures bent over him. Plagued by pain and thirst, he turned restlessly. It was cold, terribly cold, and yet he was trembling and sweating at the same time. His head was filled with confused dreams and flashbacks letting him unable to rest.

In his feverish dreams, he saw his comrades and how he killed them. Over and over again. He shouted, cried, crunched his teeth, clutched his head, and just wanted it to stop, wanted something to numb the pain, to numb his emotions.

At the same time a tremendous rage rose within him. This anger was what showed M‑21 that the wolf had not left him. The animal struggled and fought with him, it waited patiently for the time when everything would be over and he could sleep. Finally, sleep long and become stronger to live.

Cold and fever eventually vanished, the nightmares faded. Someone dabbed his forehead and spoke to him in a soothing voice. He got water which relieved his worst thirst and he slept. He did not know how much time had passed before the wolf woke him up.

The animal excited, and impatient. An obtrusive voice in his head that asked him to open his eyes. M‑21 rolled over to the side, feeling as if a nervous fly was shaking around his head. His animal self was in his head - that made the whole thing more difficult.

Something rattled and squeaked unpleasantly. The wolf snapped his ears angrily. M-21 twitched in response and grimaced. As if to soothe him, someone gently stroked his hair, the touch was so light it almost tickled, or did he imagined that? Sleepy, M-21 wondered if he should be ready to fight, but the gentle stroking hand seemed to represent no danger. On the contrary, the wolf in him enjoyed the touch immensely.

M-21 himself could not help but enjoy it as well, until the moment he remembered that this could not be any of his comrades. So who was it? His mind began to stir. Fragments of what had happened after he had been released from the lab, the cave, the deprivation, the stranger were suddenly standing before him ...

Fear gripped his chest and narrowed his throat. He tried to open his eyes, but his body was slow and his eyes felt heavy. The wolf was also nervous. He could not tell if it was because of him or there was another reason that his animal counterpart was getting restless.

At attention, he focused on the voices and sounds around himself. There had to be several people nearby. A few voices were familiar to him, and M-21 understood the words spoken without being able to understand the meaning behind them. Mechanically, he closed his fist surprised to feel something soft. He laid on something soft and warm, pleasantly warm. As he tried to process these facts, a cool breeze passed over him.

He took a deep breath as a reflex, and gasped softly as the Wolf whimpered impatiently, its longing swept over his mind and drowned his worries for a moment. M-21 smelled the earth and salt mixed with dozens of other odors that he could not associate. They was so intense that he almost tasted them. In addition, there was noise and the countless other sounds he'd never heard before.

Focused on the strange sensations and on his other side, he missed the voices that had approached him. M-21 came back to himself when a firm hand closed around his arm and something cold touched his skin. A perception he knew all too well. He opened his eyes, the shock was enough to accomplish in an instant what he had tried just a few minutes ago.

The surrounding light was too bright and pricked his eyes. He saw only shadows. But to recognize that a person was much too close to him and held a syringe in his hand, was enough. He sat up with a jerk. Without thinking, he struck the hand with a wild growl. The wolf roared furiously, neck hair impressively set up and the teeth bared, the wolf made itself ready for the attack.

M-21 panicked, startled, and backed away instinctively until he had his back pushed against a wall. Never before had the connection between him and the wolf been so intense. Like an angry animal that turned under his skin, imprisoned in his head. He clasped his head, trying to push the wolf back to regain control.

"Well, I guess he's awake," remarked a rough voice that seemed familiar to him. Still holding his head, M-21 looked up and regretted it. It was Muzaka. So far so good, but his animal counterpart was joyfully fierce at his sight which was not good.

He did not like the present situation at all. M-21 had his fair share of loss of control in the muck he could call his crappy life. This was just a bit more, just why was his animal counterpart so busy wiggling its back and whining to Muzaka if it wasn't obviously that bastard who had put him back into a lab?

And that he had to be in a laboratory was proved by the second man who stood next to Muzaka wearing a lab coat. M-21 recognized him, it was the stranger from the cave. The wolf growled, at least this was of little comfort to M-21, since the animal docked ears and ducked at the same time giving M-21 some control back. Unfortunately however the wolf’s behavior owed simply to its instinctive recognization that he was facing an opponent he could not defeat. To make things perfect, another stranger stood next to the first. Even this one seemed vaguely familiar to him, but he could not say exactly where ... besides, he really had other problems right then.

The scientist had just sighed and picked up the syringe M-21 had struck out of his hand. M-21 and the wolf watched him put it on a table, which was not far from the bed. "Now that you say it, Muzaka, I also notice it," replied the man unimpressed that M-21 hissed at him.

The aforementioned bastard whistled and snapped his tongue. "I never thought he'd wake up so early ..." Muzaka grunted and bent over the bed to look at him more closely. Here, M-21 unintentionally slipped one more strange, squeaky sound from the throat. Muzaka raised his eyebrow in surprise and retired. "What's wrong with him?"

"What do you think?" The scientist adjusted his glasses annoyed, and grabbed a clipboard coming even closer. The growling in M-21 chest swelled. The wolf was ready to fight, but he held it back with some effort.

The scientist stared at M-21 thoughtfully. "You seem to have a piece of control. I had hoped that."

"When we found him, he could still talk," Muzaka remarked, successfully mediating the impression that irritated and annoyed him.

"With the amount of drugs that were given to him, it's no wonder" the man leafed through a few pages. "Without the drugs, it's hard for him to keep control of himself. Can you speak?" He asked him, but M-21 could only stare back. His tongue was paralyzed as if suddenly he did not know how to use it.... No, that was wrong; his animalistic counterpart lacked the knowledge of the tongue. M-21 shuddered as he tried again to break his mind free, but the wolf's grip became even stronger.

Muzaka narrowed his eyes "He is losing himself. Just like the other infected." His voice, or rather what was swung at him, caused the wolf to lay flat on the ground and moan. M-21 just managed to stifle this sound. The result was probably even more remarkable, as everyone looked at him.

"He ... is untrained," a gentle but meaningful voice mixed in with the conversation. M-21 shrank back. Both he and the wolf had forgotten that another person was present. He clenched his fist, the opposite of what the wolf wanted. The animal hissed annoyed, but still managed to retreat to a corner, to the greatest possible distance to all. Muzaka commented on this with a further perplexed look while the scientist only leafed through some papers which probably had his data.

"He will learn" the scientist jammed the data under the arm. "I'm surprised that his control is already so good and he did not attack me again after waking up" the blonde tapped his chin thoughtfully, "I'm assuming you understand what we're saying to you", he turned directly to M-21 who stared back, curling his lips weakly in the attempt to not growl again.

"This much loss of control is ... normal, as far as you can assume in your situation. Do not fight against it and try to get used to it. It could take a little time"  blue eyes looked at M-21 thoughtfully, not that this felt better. "We'll continue talking when you're able to do it. Until then rest as good as you can ... oh and please do not go through this door. I still have other patients and I lack the time to look for you everywhere. "

Was that a joke? M-21 blinked. Where would he go to without being captured again? He wondered why had he not been chained, or imprisoned. And what did the man meant by patients?

Muzaka seemed to have similar doubts and studied him with a worried expression. "Are you sure Frankenstein? I don't want him attacking someone."

"Let this be my concern, Muzaka" the scientist glared at the man, "Do you have anything else to do than disturb me? In addition, it is too late to think about it after you brought him here and I took the trouble to save his life. Rest assured, he will not attack anyone as long as one does not provoke him"

"Aren't you saying this only because you want his blood samples?" Muzaka poked unimpressed.

"Have I not just formulated the phrase:  As long as you do not provoke him, too difficult for you? Let me do my work Muzaka, I beg you. "

"Yeah ... yeah ..." Muzaka actually turned around and waved his hand. "I think I can only remember that you mean he is extremely unstable? We'll see you later " The wolf whined as Muzaka moved away. M-21 slapped his hand over his mouth and missed a spiritual blow to his counterpart.

The scientist breathed heavily and pinched himself in the nasal tip. "We'll leave you alone now," he said before he walked away. Irritated, M-21 stared at their retreating forms. They just left him alone? Without locking him up or otherwise being sure that he could not escape? The wolf relaxed and loosened his staple. Apparently, everything was all right.

This gave M-21 enough courage to look around. Upto the walls there were only beds and a large number of devices, which reminded M-21 of Union labs. The room, however, did not consist of the desolate naked walls he knew too well, but bare stones.

There were many windows without panes, invaded by the light. All the other people in the room seemed relaxed, some were even laughing. He recognized the people talking to Muzuka, they were the lab prisoners freed by Muzuka. Nobody gave the impression of being here involuntarily or of having pain. The familiar, slightly sharp smell lay in the air but the rest was missing. The blood, the screams.

M-21 spread his fingers, watching as muscles and bones worked. He could move without the familiar sharp stings of pain or the dull throb of an injury. His mind was clear ... apart from his personality split. His senses unusually sharp, unclouded by any drugs.

The wolf told him it was safe. But it was hard for him to believe. Despite the fact that his body seemed cured, he had not been locked up, and treated in a friendly way. He was not allowed to neglect his vigilance. He did not know these people and one of them was a scientist. This situation could all too quickly develop to his disadvantage.

-.-.-.-

When the moon had already crossed the sky, the wolf woke him up. The animal had reacted from the lack of understanding his worries. After all, his animal side could not ignore him and watched over him as soon as he went to sleep. Throughout the day the scientist came to him with a plate of food and later to pick it up again. M-21 ate little, although the wolf assured him it was safe. On the plate there was simply too much - admittedly delicious and completely unknown - food. More than he could eat. Then he had gone to sleep with the wolf at his side watching him.

But why had he woken up? The wolf was excited, but not worried. M-21 opened his eyes. It was dark. Somebody coughed and a bed squealed, otherwise it was quiet.

His body moved as if by itself and rose from the bed. The wolf had taken control again and steered him to the next window to lean out and taste the greedy air. There it was again, this salty taste in the air. Without realizing it correctly, he jumped, the wolf jumped out of the window and landed hard enough on the ground to press out all air from his lungs.

In the next moment, he ran past the trees through the undergrowth just straight ahead, and although he had no control over his body, he clearly saw what was going on with him. The burning of his lungs, the raging heartbeat, the wind that struck him in the face, the earth under his naked soles. All these sensation were clear as never before.

The wolf jumped on some rocks, M-21 felt like his muscles were shaking and he knew his body was coming at its limit. The wolf howled in triumph sweeping this short weakness aside, and climbed the rest of the way up. An endless surface of water spread before him. The moon threw its pale light on the waves that broke down at the coast.

M-21 closed his eyes and just listened.

For the first time in years he felt that he was free.

-.-.-.-

Frankenstein massaged the bridge of his nose. It was an annoying habit he had taken to lately, with good reason. A heap of werewolves was not good for his nerves, not at all. His beloved Master patted him gently on the shoulder, the only way for him to cheer up his servant. Not far away stood Muzaka chuckling like a small child.

Speaking of child ...

"I can remember asking you not to leave the room."

The reason for his anger, the modified boy who Muzuka had literally taken from the labs, turned his gaze away from the window. He sat on his bed, with leaves in gray hair and dirt all over his body. Frankenstein had really spent a lot of time washing the boy when he came into his care. Now the boy was sitting on the once white bed sheet and showed no signs of repentance. There was still dirt on his soles and somehow he had managed to lose his top. It would cost Frankenstein much time to clean this mess up.

A grim grin spreads over the boy's face. "You only said that I could not go through the door ... so I took the window."

"You should have told him about the windows." Muzaka bared his teeth and laughed. Frankenstein himself could only stare while his brain was trying to decide how best to react to this jab. Strangely, he was more concerned about silencing Muzaka than correcting the boy.

"Funny ..." the boy muttered, his eyes scurrying back and forth "To hear that from someone who just entered through the window, when the door is right next to it."

Muzaka stopped laughing.

"You were right Muzaka, he really is amusing."

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally here is the last chapter of Live or Die ... I did it!!!! Many thanks to you all who waited so patiently for this chapter (although you have no other choice at all * laugh *). But my biggest thanks goes always to @pandora-twist. Thanks for your patience, your encouragement and great ideas when we talk to each other. And thanks for the fact that you are still ready to help me with the translations when I need months for a chapter again.

 

I'm gonna take that path I'm going in on my own

  
I'm gonna take that fear and wear it like a crown

…

 

Did he said too much? Unconsciously M21 pressed his lips together. For years, his voice had been the only remedy left to express his emotions. The last possibility to defend himself, at least verbally. Against the scientists, against Crombel and the second Elder.

Being able to speak had made his helplessness bearable, and later it had helped him and the wolf to express his anger, his despair and his faithfulness, in order not to break completely under the burden.

He had become good at defending himself with his tongue, mentally humiliating his enemies, and making them furious. The second Elder confirmed it - through hitting M-21’s head against the wall a couple of times. And Muzaka? Well, according to his facial expressions, he was not used to having someone deal with him this way.

Strategically, this was probably the dumbest thing he could have done and yet M-21 did not restrain himself. Because again he was inferior to all, delivered. He sensed it - without being able to say how - that they were all more powerful than he was, and this knowledge teared at him. Even more so, because he had believed for a tiny moment that everything had come to an end.

The moment last night when he had run, as never before in his life, without his shackles, without pain and with the wolf who showed him that things were so simple and yet so incredibly complicated and indescribable ... in that tiny moment he had hoped, as he did when his chains were destroyed. Just to become aware of the illusion too quickly.

He was a prisoner in this place. Free, unhurt and well treated, but this could change. Another hope that broke in no time before his eyes. The wolf was still hoping, but the wolf knew nothing about lies and deceit, and M-21 did not want to make it clear to him. The animal was the part of him that kept him upright and gave him the courage he needed to make it through.

Maybe it was just fine. M-21 consciously realized how his counterpart stirred as something briefly aroused its interest. It wasn’t like it was in control again. The wolf let him control the moment, only watching him, and it was all right as long as he could speak. The animal felt safer, more self-confident. Should something happen, it would intervene and help him.

His eyes flickered again to the scientist who was currently the most dangerous for him. The blond man looked him straight in the eyes, or he tried to. M-21 automatically avoided his gaze.

"He needs a bath," The man adjusted his glasses and looked at him sternly, "before I continue to examine him."

That was new. So far no scientist had been interested in what he looked like unless a third arm grew by chance. And no scientist had complained of a bit of filth, as this one did when he waved at the bed and nodded pointedly at Muzaka. Whatever that bastard could do for it. The man also just crossed his arms and let the scientist talk without paying much attention to him. This behavior, in turn, was familiar.

"That little bit of dirt will not kill him." Muzaka said, shrugging his shoulders, bored. "I find it much more interesting that he speaks again." Muzaka turned his eyes to him. This time it was harder for M-21 to avoid the gaze because the wolf did not, and he had no idea why. Muzaka's eyes always made him feel strange and he felt weird enough at that moment.

"What is your name, Lad?"

Name? M-21 frowned. The thought of his name made his heart heavy. M-21 was not a name, it was a description for an object. He could not remember ever having worn another name. His comrades had often addressed each other with nicknames that referred to certain appearance characteristics. Indifferent, Muzaka would expect an answer from him.

"M-21"

"Sorry?"

"M-21" he repeated neutrally.

"This is not a name."

Well then don’t use it and we both will have something out of it, M-21 thought bitterly. Outwardly he did not respond to the remark. Muzaka's words were a statement, not a question. M-21 did not have to talk to these people any more than necessary, as long as he did not know much. Beginning with who was this scientist and what he intended to do.

Said scientists then mocked Muzaka behind his back. Of course, this did not remain hidden and soon these two were completely occupied with each other. The third of this strange group, one with black hair, seemed confused if it was wise to intervene. M-21 could literally see the drops of sweat on his forehead, even though his expression remained completely motionless.

Making sure these three strange individuals were fully occupied with themselves, M-21 got up from the bed and walked to the window through which he had made his yesterday's outing. The wolf grunted pleasantly as soon as he stuck his face in the air. In the daylight, vast forests stretched before him, broken only by small clearings and high mountain ridges. It glittered on the horizon, and M-21 had to remember the huge lake he had seen. From a distance, he saw small, dark dots that moved and disappeared between the rock walls. In his intoxication he had missed that the rock walls had small to large holes everywhere, from which figures came in and out.

M-21 leaned forward to look at the rock wall below him. These people apparently lived in the mountain. He could not remember seeing such a thing. Though that didn’t mean much because he generally did not remember much when the wolf would take over. M-21 turned his head to the room to take a closer look again. Naked, edgy rocks ran over into freshly plastered-looking walls there. The floor seemed to be fine trimmed to be reasonably straight. The diverse, medical equipment seemed a bit out of place next to the niches in the rock, which were probably intended as shelves. Cables ran everywhere, somewhere more, somewhere less carefully attached.  
For some reason, this all seemed less threatening to him than the bare concrete walls of the Union labs. Many windows without bars, even without glass, gave the room a much more pleasant atmosphere.

A movement out of the corner of his eye distracted him. The wolf barked a warning as a person shot through the window he was standing in front of. Initially, M-21 recoiled in shock. He stormed forward before he could reflect and gave the figure, who was still balancing on the windowsill, a push at the chest with the palm of his hand. The figure flew straight back down. Startled and disturbed, M-21 stopped where he was. From the window only a "Watch it Kentas!" was heard and Lunark appeared on the ledge.

The woman looked angrily over her back, before she jumped from the windowsill to the floor. Only then did she notice M-21 standing motionless in front of her. M-21 could not tell what Lunark was thinking, but she seemed surprised. Behind her Kentas appeared on the windowsill with a snort, making Lunark sighed. Then she looked briefly at M-21 again before pushing past him, calling Lord Muzaka's name.

Kentas remained perched on the windowsill, staring at M-21. M-21 could do nothing but stare back. The beefy man in front of him opened his mouth and closed it again. Then he finally brought out: "Why?"

"I don’t know?" M-21 replied, feeling stupid. But he really did not know it. He had not pushed him out of the window deliberately, or rather: He had not wanted it. In his soul, the wolf squeaked and rolled on the ground, all fours stretched in the air. Its amusement dragged through M-21's thoughts like a flashy band.

"Kentas!"

The man on the windowsill shook his head and passed M-21, who was still standing there confused, trying to figure out why his counterpart had knocked the man.

"Interesting"

M-21 could not help but flinch and recoil as the scientist's voice sounded beside him. He had not realized how he had approached. Mentally, M-21 nudged the wolf angrily. The animal snapped its ears and responded to his even greater annoyance, uncomprehendingly.

"I think we need to have a serious talk, young man," the blonde said casually. M-21 unconsciously clenched his hand into a fist, but remained quiet. What could he say? Refusing would be pointless and would only unnecessarily cost him much strength. The scientist eyed him with a strange expression that M-21 could not quite fit. It was compassion, something that looked so alien on a scientist's face it involuntarily felt wrong. Compassion M-21 knew only from his comrades.

"First however, I want to ask you to wash yourself."

Sorry? This guy seemed to have a serious problem with dirt. M-21 mentally noted this weakness. It was always good to know your opponent and if that person had a problem with dirt ... well, there were things that were more difficult than getting someone's clothes dirty. Though M-21 could not exactly remember having done it before.

The man brought him a pile of clean clothes and showed him the way to the washroom. Contrary to what M-21 was used to, it was not just a metal showerhead hanging out of the wall. A side corridor lead in a room designed similar to the previous one. In a niche, there were towels, looking softer than any fabric M-21 had seen before. The wall and ceiling glided from a straight, plastered design over into rough rock to a small lake in the ground with steaming water. The water itself seemed to come out of the wall and flowed in thin pools down into the pool. The rock around the small lake was overgrown with plants and M-21 saw sharp rock formations hanging from the ceiling and growing out of the ground.

The scientist turned away, "The basket for protective laundry is over there," he informed M-21 and disappeared. M-21 blinked in surprise at the fact that a scientist had left him alone.

He put his clothes aside and examined the room carefully, without being able to discover a camera or anything else like that. Still uncertain, he stripped off his pants and got into the water. His first reaction was to jump up immediately. The water was hot and his bad experiences advised him to pull back before it could burn. It took a few tries before he got used to it.

The heat penetrated into his bones and made him sleepy. The wolf hummed, sighed, and flooded his mind with comforting thoughts. M-21 leaned against the edge of the pool, the smell of the nearby plants adding to its relaxation. Still ... he turned and sank deeper into the water. He should not dawdle. Even with no time limit, he knew that scientists did not like being fooled.

-.-.-

Frankenstein saw the experiment come out of the washroom and look around. The boy kept close to the wall, at an angle from where he was not immediately seen. The long, gray hair was still wet when the boy headed for his bed, constantly looking around. Frankenstein toyed with the idea of leaving him in the belief that he had not noticed him. But he postponed that thought. Whether he called the boy to himself now or later, it did not matter. Both situations would put him in stress. So he called out, and saw how M-21 winced and only hesitantly turned to him. Frankenstein waved him unto himself.

-.-.-

The scientist worked in a separate area on some machines. As M-21 came closer, he saw something that tightened his chest with fear. A tank, half hidden behind a curtain. Not as big and clunky as those used by the Union, but clearly recognizable. The blond man looked up and waved him over. M-21 obeyed the request, though everything in him screamed to ran.

"First I want to take some blood from you."

The scientist held out a syringe. Without understanding, M-21 looked at the object.

"I thought you might want to do it by yourself. I can also give you a scalpel if it's easier for you."

M-21 nodded immediately and picked up the glass jar and scalpels to take blood. The utensils were clean, no dried blood or powder indicating previous use or drugs. He had seen scientists deliberately apply used instruments. But no matter how he turned it. Never before had a scientist offered him to take his blood by himself.

And it continued to be weird. The whole investigation was different. The scientist introduced himself as Frankenstein and explained every little step he took and what he intended to do with it. He always gave M-21 a choice and the gray-haired man did not understand anything anymore. What did this man care about how he felt or what he thought? At the end of the examination, he had not done anything that would have hurt him, even abstained from taking blood. He did not give any pills, liquids or anything else. He only examined the blood and the scan.

"We are not the Union, boy. Nobody will impose anything on you that you do not want," Frankenstein said. M-21 did not know if he should laugh about it. He chose to say nothing and continued to listen. "The investigation is primarily for your own safety. It is in all our interests if you do not just fall over dead." With these words the man closed the image of its scan, "We're done, you can go."

Ok ... slowly M-21 pulled back, trying to watch the scientist out of the corner of his eye.

"Ah, before I forget it,"

M-21 froze at these words.

"If you feel the urge to jump out the window again, then wash yourself and try to keep all your clothes on."

-.-.-

He had always argued that all scientists had to be crazy sadists. However, this one seemed to have developed oddly harmless quirks like an aversion to dirt ... and missing clothes. M-21 frowned. Well, he certainly would not complain, after all he had ride out of the investigation without being used for another experiment. For the time being ...

The room grew louder. M-21 turned his attention back to the front. After his examination, he had withdrawn and decided to sit down on one of the wide windowsills. Just not the one from which he had thrown Kentas out. First, he did not want another incident. Second, all those who went in and out, used that window and not the door.

It was just enough for him to watch and listen while the sun was shining on him and slowly sinking again. No one bothered him or tried to approach and M-21 just enjoyed the sun on his skin. The well-chosen place was at the back of the room, from where he could see most of everything without becoming the focus himself. He would be able to immediately see anyone who approached him.

The farther the day progressed, the more hectic it became and M-21 congratulated himself quietly for having sought a discreet place. People went in and out or stood in groups and talked. Yet it was getting quieter now, no less hectic, just incredibly quiet.

To his misfortune, the wolf started ruling the atmosphere. It started with a chill, then a dull foreboding crept over him, increasing with every passing minute. M-21 did not like it, he tried in vain to distinguish himself from his other self. He counted the cracks in the rock, repeated the same sentence in his head, but that only helped him to a limited extent.

Then a real distraction came in form of Kentas, who was suddenly in front of him blocking the sunset. M-21 tried to fathom the mood of his animal counterpart who had just ignored Kentas even though it had noticed him. Kentas did not speak to him and M-21 pondered if it was a bit premature to jump out of the window to escape. Usually, he considered the option to run away pretty useless.

Kentas didn’t try to start a conversation with him. The man just stared at him for a long time. His forehead was wrinkling, as if he was just scratching on a complex problem whose solution promised him ... whatever. He got on M-21’s nerves, but that was fine. He was a welcomed distraction to the jumble of emotions that strangled his throat.

"Is there something on my face?" M-21 hissed softly as he watched Kentas for reaction out of the corner of his eye.

The beefy man blinked and his eyes flickered to him, looking right at him for the first time. The subsequent reply confirmed that Kentas was somewhere else with his own thoughts. "What?"

"Stop starring," M-21 looked out the window again, "Or go someone else."

"I do not want to."

Oh ... M-21 took a deep breath, "Why ..." he squeezed out.

"I want to know ..." Kentas began with deliberate words "... why are you still alive?"

What? M-21 turned his upper body so that he could eye Kentas. The man had spoken calmly, but M-21 was sure he had heard a hint of anger. Kentas made a face, then turned to look at him, his expressions drawn to an iron mask.

Suddenly M-21 felt like scales were falling from his eyes. The question, the overwhelming atmosphere, and the reason why he kept finding himself scrutinized by the other people in the room. There were too few left. Kentas’s question made it clear what had happened to the rest of the prisoners. M-21 realized why he was struggling to block the emotions of his other side. The fuck ... he had been struggling enough with the loss of his comrades and his own humanity the last few days, he could not let this happen now. Not here …

"Do you want a guide from me?" M-21 instead replied tonelessly and tried to turn away again. "Those who did not want to live any more died quickly." A sharp pain stopped him. Kentas’s fingers had closed around his wrist and squeezed painfully.

"Every single one," the man growled softly and his eyes sparkled with anger, "was an outstanding warrior in body and mind. They gave everything and you accuse them of being too weak to ..."

"To live," M-21 effortlessly interrupted the man. He had gotten angry too. He did not accuse anyone, he did not judge anyone. But he knew a hundred times, no, a thousand times better than Kentas how these people must have felt.

"You ..."

Kentas did not get any further. M-21 clutched Kentas’s wrist with his free hand and also pressed with increasing anger. "Shut up" M-21 spat "You do not know anything. Instead of going to your people and asking them you come to me! I live because I did not want to die." He pushed Kentas away. The man took a step back, his eyes wide with surprise.

"Enough"

Hands casually tucked into his pocket, Muzaka strolled over to them. His eyes were enough for Kentas and M-21 to separate from one another. While Muzaka studied them in detail, Kentas kept his head down and probably did not dare look at Muzaka. M-21 had less thought to return the scowling look icy.

“It's time, "Muzaka beckoned Kentas to himself. From there M-21 noticed for the first time that they were almost alone. A handful of other people were still talking, or cleaning up the beds no longer needed. The survivors had healed.

As soon as the door to the hospital room closed, M-21 leaned back against the windowsill, unable to stop himself from flinching. His wrist ached, probably the bone was broken, or at least bruised. In his anger he had missed how hard Kentas grip had been.

M-21 sneered. Pain was okay, he could handle it. He almost missed it.

-.-.-

Out in the corridor, Lunark frowned as the last bruise on Kentas’s skin disappeared. Kentas himself reluctantly let the hospital room door out of his sight. He wiped his wrist covertly all the time.

-.-.-

Stone cracked under his fingers as he leaned forward and choked. Everything turned. M-21 slid down the wall to the floor, his forehead leaning against the stone. Outside, the deep black night had fallen and the temperature had dropped very low. He was sweating and shivering even more in the cold.

It was the wolf. For the first time since they existed side by side, they were in disagreement. Unlike before, the wolf did not take control of his body. The animal wanted to impose something else on him. Though the beast had sometimes controlled his actions, his thoughts had always been his. Now the animal was trying to penetrate deeper into HIM. M-21 fought back violently, causing the wolf to use even more force to reach its target. He felt like his head was about to burst.

Everything had started with the fires that suddenly loomed in the distance. Followed by a melody, which he could not assign, but which penetrated him through the medulla and legs. The wolf's reaction was even more intense than his own. Already over a day in a strange attitude had dilapidated the animal, and now it tried to pull him along too. But M-21 did not want to. He suspected what was going on and resisted the wolf's will. It was too brief. He wanted ... he could not deal with it now.

Another flash of white-hot pain pierced his brain. M-21 heard someone yelling and smelled blood, unaware that it had been his scream and his blood dripping from his ears. He found himself lying on the floor.

At that moment, the door to the hall opened and the black-haired stranger entered. M-21 just saw him with blurred eyes. Getting up was unthinkable. No muscle moved, as if his brain were getting enough oxygen to notice, but not enough to give a command to the muscles. The man came towards him and only then did M-21 notice that Frankenstein was with him. The red-hot eyes had distracted him too much from the few things he still perceived.

"Release him," a voice, like a ray of light, shuffled into his thoughts, separating M-21 and the animal from each other. "More patience," the voice gently said, like a breeze, "Let him rest." The presence of the wolf flickered like the flame of a candle and retreated to a minimum.

-.-.-

M-21's eyes widened and air gasped into his lungs. He was sprawled on his bed, next to a standing Frankenstein, struggling with a cloth that was being put on his forehead. M-21 jerked back, whereupon the scientist pushed the damp cloth against his forehead more indiscriminately.

"Don’t move too much," Frankenstein warned. M-21 saw a vial of labeled blood in his hand. He pressed his lips imperceptibly together and turned his head away. The unpleasant throb increased. His thoughts were clear again though. He could still feel the wolf, just a lot weaker than before. No trace of the intrusive will of the animal. In fact, the connection was so weak that M-21 felt strangely helpless or bared.

How long was he unconscious? What had happened? M-21 turned his head just enough to see the man with the red eyes. He was standing by the window and looked out into the night. His sight unexpectedly brought back some memories. M-21 clawed his hands into the sheet until his knuckles turned white. He certainly had not imagined it. Somehow this man had been in his head.

Against Frankenstein's instructions, M-21 sat up and leaned his back against the wall. His headache disappeared, and M-21 gladly accepted it. At least now he could see this scientist coming. And he would love to keep the stranger away from his head. According to his experience, it would bring nothing but more pain.

"I said to not move," Frankenstein said indignantly as soon as he returned.

"I've heard," replied M-21 with just enough courage to make his point. From outside, that strange melody blew in again. Fortunately, the reaction of the wolf remained subdued. He noticed only a faint echo that he could easily suppress.

"Well ..." Frankenstein put a candle on the table, "as you like. But we have to talk to each other." Did Frankenstein mean, he had to listen and obey? M-21 tried to be reasonably casual, at least not to appear weak. The scientist pulled a chair next to the bed, but instead of sitting down, the black-haired one sat down, folding his legs over each other and looking out the window again. M-21 tensed imperceptibly. As inconspicuously as possible, he looked in a different direction to avoid eye contact.

Hopefully, Frankenstein would talk fast.

"It's about your ... modification," the scientist began calmly, "if you want to call it that. Muzaka seems to be planning to keep you here for now. It would be in your best interests to know a bit about it."

Since when did a lab rat need to know what kind of experiments you have carried out and still want to carry out? Please. Besides, it was perfectly clear that Muzaka wanted to keep him here. The bastard had certainly not freed him out of pure friendliness from the laboratory, and then set another scientist on him. Probably Frankenstein was one of the scientists who liked to talk with their experimental material. M-21 found this strain even worse than others, where he at least knew immediately that he had no value for them.

"Of course, you can come with us."

M-21 jerked his head up to stare at the blond man. Did he just hear right? Frankenstein would go away? And he wanted to take him with him? His gaze obviously spoke volume. Frankenstein seemed forced to reword his sentence a bit better.

"It's your decision."

Ah yes ... so Frankenstein was just a kind of auxiliary scientist. But just as curious to examine him as Muzaka's people. That's why the man wanted to take him with him, but probably could not just bargain without getting into trouble. In that case, what he wanted to do was weigh the options. A choice between two scalpels. Wonderful ... but if Muzaka's people had to ask a stranger scientist for help, then they could not be that capable and would probably leave him alone longer.

"Think about it. I think it would be better if you are separated from them for a while until your development is stable enough to cope with Muzaka's bunch. Werewolves are not known for their sensitivity and what we saw before is ... "

"Werewolves?" M-21 interrupted him abruptly.

Frankenstein frowned and sighed deeply. "They did not tell you, did they? I thought you were conscious for some time before we arrived."

"What ..." M-21 could not swallow his curiosity. Frankenstein's conversation could give him the answers he was looking for since he had been bitten? "What are werewolves?

Now even the one with the red eyes looked at him strange. Frankenstein remained calm, only his eyes narrowed slightly. Abruptly he turned to the sitter. "Master ..." The master nodded, "It seems so. I could not find an approach in his memories."

So yes. "Stay away from my mind," M-21 growled softly with as much emphasis in his voice as he dared to not provoke Frankenstein too much. The scientist nevertheless turned to him in a flash, and M-21 braced himself for the inevitable. Notwithstanding Frankenstein's reaction, his master seemed forced to give him a direct answer.

"I apologize for that."

"There is not much to excuse," Frankenstein intervened. "A little longer and he would have suffered permanent damage or would have died!"

"Frankenstein. It is his right to fight back."

The scientist closed his mouth and took a deep breath. "Yes master" he cleared his throat. M-21 remained motionless, still waiting for a punishment or something similar. It never came. Instead, he listened to a seemingly endless lecture by Frankenstein. First about bad behavior - asking M-21 why he told master that, after all, he was helping him - and then about the three races that lived in this world. Nobles, Werewolves and Humans.

M-21 listened in silence. Too tense of the stories and explanations Frankenstein offered him and too curious to turn away. Some things were familiar to him, but not all. M-21 tried to gather as much information as possible until Frankenstein finally completed his story with the modified humans.

"People have changed over the centuries." Frankenstein grimaced, "Not always for the better. You know the result."

More or less. M-21 could not prevent a quick snort. He was a modified human, but he had known that for a while. Still ... "The response of the werewolves was a little strange for me being just a modified human being." Especially the reaction to his comrades made him think. At that time, the werewolves spoke of mutants.

"To understand that," Frankenstein replied, "You have to understand what was being tried when you were bitten."

"From where …"

"It is obvious. According to the reports, there were only mutants in this lab and you were among them. Apart from a few other features that make me think and ..." Frankenstein raised a finger to emphasize the following, "You have just confirmed my guess."

Bastard ...

"Muzaka tells me you met the second Elder. He is a werewolf. He was rejected along with his followers when it became known that they were experimenting. Not only on other people, but also on their own. He is very power hungry."

Frankenstein paused for a moment. "Do you remember telling me about contracts between nobles and people? Such a pact is a big vote of confidence. Two different beings connecting their souls ... it's something only nobles are capable of. But a bonded can also bind another person to you. This human being, in turn, can bind another human, and so on and so forth." Frankenstein gestured with his hand.

"But it will not be without consequences. The ... connection perverts and in the end you have beings that were called by humanity vampires. They need to drink human blood to survive and their minds are not outstanding. Vampires in turn create mutants whose minds are even less impressive. But in the end, everyone has to obey a master."

"An army." Willing and obedient. That would fit in with the Union.

"Ah," Frankenstein nodded, "The second Elder was very fond of it and wanted something similar. However, werewolves cannot transfer their power to humans, or even begin a spiritual shipment, at least not with humans." The scientist paused and sighed, "The biology of nobles, werewolves and humans is a lengthy topic with which we can deal with later. It is important for you to know that werewolves are born with two halves of one soul. Your actual part and one that consists practically only of primal instincts."

M-21 gasped. Could that mean that ... was that the wolf?

"The soul changes with age. It grows together and leaves something that can be described as a fine scar. The second Elder came up with the crazy idea to modify his followers so that this instinctive part of the soul is further divided. With a bite, this splinter should be transferred to humans, along with traces of DNA." Frankenstein snorted and M-21 clearly saw the mockery and contempt in his eyes.

"That could not be good. The bitten die or go crazy. A human soul simply cannot be thrown together with a werewolf soul. No matter how small the fragment of the soul is, it always fights for supremacy and displaces the other soul. But a fragment alone is not enough to fill a living being."

So that had happened to his comrades. M-21 tensed inside when he thought about it. Not all had the luck to die quickly. What happened to the souls that were displaced? Were they caught? Or did the same thing happened to them that happens on normal death? This was bad. Perhaps some of his comrades were still wandering around.

"Then we come to you." Frankenstein's voice brought M-21 back to the present. "I'll try to explain it to you slowly. First, it's important that you understand that a werewolf can never infect a human being."

"But ... I am ... I was human."

"No," Frankenstein's voice remained gentle, "You are and never were a human."

M-21 stared at the man without even making a sound. No, this could not be. How was that possible? His comrades had also been all human and he should have lived among them without realizing ... Everything in him was against this statement and desperately tried to come up with a logical argument that would make Frankenstein words a lie.

"I gave it a lot of thought. DNA, organs, body, birth characteristic and last but not least your memories let me assume that you are an artificially created chimera." The scientist encountered M-21 confused look. "A chimera refers to a hybrid being. Your body is that of a human and a werewolf at the same time. Therefore, you could survive the bite as well as you did, because it must have awakened the werewolf part. With that you were able to ward off the effects."

"What does artificially create mean?" whispered M-21 softly. The fear of the answer clawed relentlessly into his chest.

"When a human is modified, genes from animals are usually used. It is rarer and much riskier to use genes from nobles or werewolves. The rejection kills most of the experiments. The process takes years, so the experiments are usually very young. But it's a bit different with you."

"Just spit it out!" snapped M-21 who could barely endure it.

Instead of being punished for his interruption, Frankenstein looked at him so strangely. Pityingly. M-21 hated that look. He just wanted to know what kind of creature he was. He did not want pity, let alone from a scientist.

"You also have a split soul, as is typical of werewolves. It is certain that your instinctive part can not come from the soul shard. Nevertheless, you have no memories that go back far, no memories that might just be suppressed and some body features that should not occur in a normal birth. There are ways to artificially create a living entity ..."

"So I came from some damn test tubes, right?"

Frankenstein sighed.

"That's what you wanted to say!" snarled M-21.

"Yes. Unfortunately, there is no other explanation for it."

M-21 sank back against the wall again, his head a mess and at the same time only emptiness. Not human. He was not human, he was not even a werewolf or whatever. Frankenstein looked as if he wanted to say more. But after a look at M-21, he closed his mouth.

His master rose from his chair. "We'll give you some time," Frankenstein said as he joined him. M-21 does not answer. He just watched as the door closed leaving him alone. As if in a trance, he rose and strode over to the window, staring out into the night.

Suddenly he clenched his fist and hit it against the stone. Once, twice ... He wanted to yell, somehow express his anger. Instead, bit his wrist until blood was visible and sank to the floor. The first tears began to run down his cheek. Bit by bit he went through Frankenstein's words again. He found no logical mistake, no clue that could have given him some comfort.

He had nothing. No family that could give him solid roots. No name he just forgot. No memories of a life before the Union. Just nothing. No one had come to free him from the clutches of the Union, for he had never really existed for the world. At no point in his life did he had a place. His parents, if you would call it that, were a few test tubes.

M-21 pulled his knees to his chest and let his pain run wild. In the dark you could not see the tears. He was alone, now in this moment and always.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because the last chapter was so sad, here is a little continuation. Thanks to all who have read diligently so far and thanks to everyone who wrote me so amazing reviews. You were great xD This is the end of Live or Die, I have ideas for a sequel, but I do not want to promise anything :P Enjoy this little final chapter.

Muzaka was tired, exhausted and angry as he left for his quarters after midnight to at least try to sleep for a few minutes. To cross path with Frankenstein – the man simply stood in his way - did not necessarily improved his mood.

“Muzaka“

“I am not in the right mood for you, Frankenstein.” Not after he had to watch as the bodies of the warriors crumbled to ashes before his eyes. Good men and women who, by the ancestors, deserved a better fate, than to lose their minds slowly and die under Maduke's undignified paws. If he only had been there a little earlier. Now it did not matter, like the other times before. It was always late, no matter how he twisted and turned. Always late …

Someone patted him on the shoulder. The lord of the werewolf needed less than a blink of an eye to switch from alert to ready to fight. Two blinks of an eye to realize that it had been Raizel who tapped him on the shoulder. When it came to expressing sympathy, condolence, or comfort, even Muzaka had more chances to deliver it sensibly than Raizel would ever know. Even after more than ten years among humans, the shoulder tapping was Raizel's only learned remedy to show any of the aforementioned things.

Raizel noticed that his attempt to cheer up Muzaka was not working as well as he had hoped. The nobility patted him a little harder. Raizel's attempt to cheer him up and the almost clumsy way he did it finally made Muzaka give a weary smile.

"We talked to M-21," Frankenstein interrupted the serene moment.

"Was that wise?" Muzaka remembered his reaction well when Frankenstein had told him about his suspicion that the boy was a chimera. As if it wasn’t enough that the Union could literally breed human children, they had also taken the blood of his people to create a half-breed, just as his daughter had been. The thought of Ashleen tugged at his heart like an enemy’s claw. Now there was this boy, M-21 ... how and where should he put him in his world view, please?

"He had the right to know," Frankenstein replied, adding after a brief pause, "He picked it up accordingly.”

"I can imagine that," the lord of the werewolves rubbed his forehead. "Is that all?"

"Almost"

Muzaka groaned. "Please Frankenstein. I'm tired so go fast."

"What are you going to do with the boy?"

"Uh? I have not really thought yet." This was the truth. First and foremost, he certainly took M-21 out of curiosity and to make sure that Maduke really had not found a way to create mutants. Well, according to Frankenstein's diagnosis, Maduke did not know that M-21 was a chimera. He had been tricked, but that did not particularly interest Muzaka at this moment. M-21 had talked to Maduke, maybe there was a thing or two that he could learn from him. The more the better.

"You better think of something," Frankenstein told him angrily. "See that your people do not continue where the Union left off with him."

"Stop comparing my people with the Union," Muzaka said grumpily. His patience had almost exhausted. To his astonishment, Frankenstein threw something at him that he easily caught. It was a container of pills.

"Yours are almost used up, right? I'll see that I'll make you some more before we leave."

The werewolf glared at the pills. He hated to be dependent on it. But he could not risk a rampage amidst his people. So he put the drug in his pocket, "Thank you."

"We will leave in a few days. I want to make sure that the patients do not relapse. But you should worry about one thing tonight, Muzaka."

"And that would be?"

"You should be aware that you can not claim any respect from the boy. He does not care who you are and what your name is. The boy will not stick his tail between his legs and knuckle as your people."

"Hm, sounds like fun."

-.-.-

His tears finally dried up. M-21 took a shaky breath and wiped his face. He felt drained and lost. His desire to survive was shaped by his will to avenge his comrades, or at least to keep the memories of them. Now he wondered if he had any rights at all. He had not been aware that he was not human. Was that enough a justification?

The wolf still had not returned. M-21 missed it painfully. The animal had a different view of life and death that seemed comforting. Right now, he sought that comfort. The wolf belonged to him and was not a result of the bite. M-21 was particularly relieved about that. The mere thought that a part of these bastards stretched in him ... no.

M-21 looked at his hands. They were smeared with dirt, tears and blood. He clenched them like many times before. He tried to be clear about what he saw. These were his hands. Only, who was he? His blood, his tears, and yet M-21 could not properly allocate it. He knew it belonged to him and yet ...

Useless.

He had to stop it. Frankenstein and his master could return at any moment. Under no circumstances did M-21 want someone to see him like this. He had to stay strong, at least on the outside. Still in a trance, he rose to drag himself to the washroom. He had decided to live, no matter how. For M-21 it was clear that he would now pull through this. He was not a coward who turned back halfway.

The warm waters of the spring finally helped him shake off parts of the shock.

-.-.-

They were already waiting for him when he returned. The first sunbeams illuminated the room and Frankenstein put a plate of food on the table for him. M-21 stopped at the entrance to the room and looked at the plate. Frankenstein eyed him carefully, but the man made no comment about his appearance.

"I ate earlier.”

"Not correct. You ate two days ago."

M-21 frowned. He was used to having a period of weeks between meals. The food was undoubtedly delicious but he did not feel hungry. He told Frankenstein.

"Of course you are not hungry. The Union can do many things but nothing right." The man narrowed his eyes angrily, “Your body is used to hunger. That's why you do not get something every day. We must see your body get used to a normal rhythm again. Just try to eat as much as possible."

"And what is the normal rhythm?"

"Three meals a day for human and for now also for you."

Clear. Maybe Frankenstein wanted to fatten him.

M-21 sat down on the bed and picked up the plate. He certainly would not complain, after all he got something to eat at all. As a precaution, he briefly sniffed the meal before putting it in his mouth and slowly chewed it.

The longer bath had helped him organize his thoughts and feelings. He still felt like shit, but not so shit that he had the urge to beat objects into pieces. Frankenstein hummed to himself as he adjusted something on his machines. The scientist was in a good mood. M-21 decided to try to take advantage of it.

"When a soul is expelled from the body," he began, "what happens to it then?"

Frankenstein paused his work and turned to him with a surprised expression. M-21 could not determine why the blond man looked so surprised. But amazement was always better than an annoyed or angry reaction.

“I'm afraid I expressed myself wrong yesterday. The human soul is not pushed out of the body, but into the subconscious without any chance to ever return."

"Do they suffer?"

"I do not think so. They will sleep. If the body dies then it takes its natural course again."

Good to know. His comrades did not have to suffer any longer. M-21 shoved another bite into his mouth, thinking of his comrades. Frankenstein watched him.

"If you have more questions then ask me."

"What would you want for that?"

“Nothing. I see it as a positive development that you ask."

As if! A scientist who wanted nothing for his performance. Without comment, M-21 set the plate aside. He had not even consumed the third bite. It did not help anything. He needed answers to survive. Frankenstein had spoken of wanting to leave soon. Hopefully the man would not have the time to demand his favor.

"Why did I have such ... difficulties yesterday?" M-21 lamely finished the half-hearted description of his seizure.

"I cannot tell you exactly," Frankenstein reluctantly admitted, "The werewolves held a funeral ceremony yesterday. Strangers are not even allowed to watch. I only know that they were burning their dead."

Wonderful, M-21 thought silently. A question wasted for nothing. He might even need to know what nearly killed him last night. Just in case something similar happened to him again. Even Frankenstein was unhappy with his statement.

"I have often had the urge to shake Muzaka. Even the nobles are more advanced in recording important events and knowledge."

"Are you complaining about nobles or werewolves? Also, I have repeatedly told you that we carry our knowledge in our hearts. How many times do you want to hear that from me?” Muzaka closed the door behind him with a certain swing. Frankenstein's master was at his side. Maybe that's why he used the door, not the window.

Not only did Frankenstein's eyebrow move up at Muzaka's statement. M-21 refused to ask if he could cut Muzaka's heart open, to see if there were any books in it.

"Then ask your heart and help us figure out what the problem is. We are very connected to you." Frankenstein's ridicule was obvious, “The boy almost died yesterday in an argument with his instinctive side."

Muzaka blinked. "How did he do that?"

"I think that's enough. Thank you for letting us share your inner wisdom Muzaka." Frankenstein looked at M-21, "I suspect this: You lived like a human until your blood was awakened. From that moment, the instinctive part of your soul awakened. Meaning that you still have a clear separation as is usually the case with very young werewolves. In contrast to these, however, you have already reached a certain age, have more experience and a strong awareness, which enables you to interact more with the instinctive part."

The man coughed. "Young werewolves rarely question their actions and their souls may still be malleable. There are also learned behavioral patterns and traditions that may be there to support this merging or maturing of the soul. You do not know all this and you are not a kid. I would advise you to show more willingness to cooperate, if you have another ... conflict"

"You have no idea," M-21 noted after a brief moment of silence.

"Werewolves are not my field of expertise, especially since they make almost all decisions on impulse." Frankenstein managed to hide his embarrassment by adjusting his glasses. Behind him, Muzaka took a deep breath in and out.

"Why am I actually here ..." grumbled the man, or rather the werewolf, "It’s to tell you that I've assigned one of my warriors to look after you. Once you have recovered enough. He should show you how we live here, where you can sleep and all such things."

Wow, he got a personal watcher. If that was not an appreciation of his person then he did not know what was. Would have gone too well if he had clearance.

"Who?" Frankenstein asked casually.

"Kentas"

That got better and better. M-21 stole to the window as soon as Frankenstein and Muzaka were back to being busy amongst themselves. If he understood it right, then he would spend a few more days alone in the hospital room before the chaperone will come to take care of him. After their last encounter, M-21 found that questionable. Nevertheless, he’d prefer someone who watched his every step and let out his frustration every now and then, than to be put in chains. He was able to take a few punches and Muzaka's interest in him would prevent him from being killed.

M-21 took a deep breath, looking at the cloudy sky and the mountains that were still shrouded by the fog of the morning. There he was now. Escaped from the Union lab and landed in a whole bunch of werewolves, of which he was the weird part. How would it be to live here?


End file.
